Fund for Research and innovation in Global Health
and Social Development

Overview

The Fund for Research and Innovation in Global Health and Social Development was established to incubate cutting-edge research and interventions that address pressing global health and social development challenges. The Fund emphasizes multi-disciplinary collaboration and engagement with institutional and community partners on the ground. There are no geographical limitations to where projects may be implemented, but priority given to projects in to low- and middle-income countries, particularly among Latin American and African countries. An annual request for proposals will be made available to University of Chicago faculty to propose collaborative intervention projects. Request for proposals for the Fund are listed on UChicago’s internal funding page.  

Eligibility

Funds may be used to implement new projects or to compliment existing projects, particularly those funded through other UChicago funding mechanisms. Applicants can apply for funds to support project development and implementation ranging from small exploratory projects (under $10,000) to larger projects of up to $50,000. The expected timeframe for projects is 1-2 years. In general, awards will not exceed $50,000 total, however in rare cases awards exceeding $50,000 may be made for high-impact projects. The size and number of awards supported will be based on availability of funds. All current PI-eligible academic appointees at the University of Chicago are eligible to apply. Past and current recipients of Kiphart funds are eligible to apply for funding for new or existing projects, though priority will be given to new applicants. Members of the Kiphart Center faculty advisory committee are also eligible to apply but must abstain from evaluating their own proposals.

Selection Process

Proposals will be reviewed by an interdisciplinary committee of University of Chicago faculty. There are no limitations on where proposed projects are focused, but we are particularly interested in those that focus on low- and middle-income countries, particularly those in Africa and Latin America.

Proposals should address several criteria of interest:

  • Pressing global health and development challenges – Projects can focus on a broad range of topics, however priority will be given to those related to the social determinants of health and those of significant contemporary importance, such as climate change; extreme poverty; racial, ethnic, and gender inequality; educational access and equity; and infectious disease prevention.
  • Impact – Projects should show significant promise of impact, such as improvement in the health and well-being of target communities; the development and testing of models of policy or practice; and the production of data to catalyze action.
  • Quality – Projects should be of high quality and designed to contribute to high-quality scholarship or the development of innovative responses to promote community health and well-being.
  • Collaboration – Projects should demonstrate meaningful partnerships with collaborative partners in the target community. Collaborators can be individual researchers or institutional partners such as universities, nongovernmental organizations, or other local community organizations.
  • Interdisciplinarity – All projects should be interdisciplinary in nature. Priority will be given to projects that draw on multiple disciplines particularly those whose collaborations integrate perspectives from the social sciences and the biomedical/health sciences.
  • Context – Proposals should demonstrate a high level of knowledge of the contexts in which the project will take place, particularly the social, political, economic, and cultural structures that shape the issue(s) of interest for the project.

Due Dates and Notification of Awards

The Fund’s 2024 request for proposals is now open. Applications are due February 9, 2024, and are available through UChicago’s internal funding page. Applicants will be notified of the committee’s decision in April for a July 1st start date. Successfully funded faculty will receive automatic Kiphart Center Affiliated Faculty status and will be included on the website. 

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